Of course, there are pool parties, and then there a pool parties, and if your idea of a pool-themed celebration doesn’t include fun decorations, games, and snacks, then you probably aren’t doing the event justice. Don’t get us wrong; it doesn’t take much to make a pool party enjoyable. But once everyone has dried off and the smell of chlorine and sunscreen has faded, a mediocre pool party becomes just another forgotten day in the sun.
Give your guests an experience that they’ll be able to carry with them long after summer has passed, by throwing a pool party that they’ll never forget. Here are some of our favorite pool party decoration ideas that will help you keep your summer get-together from ending up dead in the water.
Balloons
Balloons are generally more closely associated with birthday parties than pool parties, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Besides, if you do have a summer birthday to celebrate, then you’d have a hard time finding a venue better suited to the task than a pool. Balloons can add a bit of color and festivity to your party’s atmosphere, and can even be incorporated into games and other activities. That having been said, you’ll want to be careful when playing with balloons in or around the pool, as small bits of latex from popped balloons can easily end up getting stuck inside of a pool’s filtering system. Because of this, you should avoid any activities where balloons are intentionally popped (such as tossing water balloons), and always be sure to get permission from your property owner or manager before using balloons in any communal pool area. Keep that in mind, and enjoy these balloon-related pool party decoration ideas:
- Create floating balloon lights. This particular tip is one that we’ve shared in a previous post. However, it’s absolutely perfect for pool parties, and we feel the need to revisit it. If you place a small glow stick inside of a balloon before inflating it, you can create glowing balloon lights that will provide fun illumination once the sun goes down. And, if you can find glow sticks that are small enough, you can even do this trick with helium balloons, and create floating, glowing decorations that can also be placed at the property entrance to let guests know that they’ve arrived at the correct location. FInally, when inflated glow stick balloons are placed in the pool, they create vibrant and festive pool lights to help keep the party going well into the night. You can even substitute latex gloves for balloons, for unique, hand-shaped lights that will have your guests doing double takes.
- Play with balloon buoyancy. As previously stated, placing balloons in the pool is only something you should do when you have permission from the property manager, but if you can get the OK, then this is a decoration idea that you should consider. Get a number of water balloons, and fill them with varying amounts of water. Blow a small amount of air into each one, and then dump them all in the pool. The balloons will have different buoyancy, as a result of the different amounts of air and water in each one, which will cause them to float at different depths in the pool. And, if you’d like to incorporate the glow sticks from the previous tip, then you can add some illumination…
- Use kids’ floatation devices as decorations. Not all balloons are the same. Take a stab at convention by substituting traditional balloons with kids’ floaties. Even if your pool party isn’t specifically tailored to youngsters, peppering your conventional décor with a variety of small floatation devices will help get your guests into the spirit of the celebration. And, should there be any children present who aren’t totally sure of themselves in the water, having some fun floaties around will help keep everything enjoyable and safe.
- Make balloon light columns. An entertaining way to incorporate balloons into your pool-party décor (without having to worry about cleaning bits of latex out of a pool filter) is by making light columns. To make light columns, you’ll need a 6’ length of wooden dowel, a long string of lights, and a pack of clear balloons. Drive the dowel into the ground (or, if there isn’t any bare ground near the pool, use deep flower pots filled with gravel), deep enough that the dowel is solidly anchored. String the lights up and down the length of the dowel, and then inflate your clear balloons. Use tape to attach the balloons to the dowel, so that almost the entire surface is covered. Plug in the lights, and enjoy!
- Install a balloon arch. When you throw a pool-party, the most obvious focal point is going to be the pool. So, whatever decorations you decide to use, they should draw attention back to the pool. An easy way to do that is by making a balloon arch. Simply get a strand of fishing wire, and anchor one end at one side of the pool, and the other end at the other side of the pool, being sure to leave a lot of slack in the wire (the more slack your wire has, the taller your arch will be). Now, attach helium balloons along the entire length of wire. When the balloons are released, they will pull the wire upward and out of the way, creating a colorful and festive arch.
Food
It’s hard to have a party without snacks. This is doubly true for pool parties, where swimming guests have been known to develop olympic-sized appetites. But while most pool-party goers are perfectly happy eating whatever you might lay out for them, selecting foods that reinforce the theme of your party is a great way to keep things fun. Here are a few pool party design ideas that you can feed to your friends between belly-flop contests.
- Provide a floating cooler. When you’re enjoying yourself in the pool, it can be a real drag to have to get out to grab something to drink. Instead, take things into the water with a floating beverage cooler. Just purchase a medium-sized plastic storage bin with a locking lid, some nylon rope, and an averaged-sized pool noodle (approximately 5’ long). Cut the noodle into four pieces (matching the lengths of the sides of the storage bin), and then using the nylon rope, string it around the plastic container, one piece per side, until secure. Finally, fill the container about halfway with ice, and then toss in a few of your favorite bottled beverages. If done correctly, the container should float in the water, making it easy for anyone to grab a drink while swimming. And, if things are getting rowdy, you can always lock the container’s lid in place to prevent any ice from spilling out. Just be sure to get property-management permission before bringing any food or drink into the pool, and only use plastic bottles—the last thing anyone wants is broken glass in the pool.
- Serve flip-flop sandal cookies. An idea can be fun and crafty without being difficult. Turn Vienna Finger sandwich cookies (or cookies of a similar shape) into miniature flip-flop sandals. Just use a piping bag to draw frosting straps on each cookie. Mix up the colors of frosting to give your cookies some variety. If you’d like to add something else to the presentation, then consider serving your cookies on a bed of brown sugar ‘sand.’ You can even use small measuring cups or clean plastic molds to pack some of the sugar together into fun, edible sandcastles!
- Make an edible watermelon ‘sand’ bucket. For a fun and refreshing pool-party treat, cut a fresh water melon in half. Scoop out the insides, being careful to leave the watermelon flesh in as large of pieces as possible. Next, cut off the rounded tips of the rhine on each half watermelon, so that each half can stand upright without tipping (be careful not to cut too deep, or you’ll end up with a leak in your ‘bucket’). Then, cut the larger pieces of watermelon flesh using star shaped cookie cutters. Pour white sugar or dry cake mix into each standing watermelon half, and then partially insert your star-shaped pieces into the sugar, so that they resemble starfish sitting in sand. Finally, purchase some clean plastic child’s sandbox tools (such as shovels), and place one in each half. The end result will be a festive and delicious sand bucket that will capture the attention of adults and children alike.
- Create theme-shaped sandwiches. Speaking of cookie cutters, here’s an easy way to turn ordinary sandwiches into pool-themed snacks. Just make several sandwiches of your choice, and get some fun cookie cutters of various applicable shapes (fish, stars, boats, etc.). Press the cookie cutters down onto each sandwich, cutting off the crust, and creating a fun sandwich in a shape that fits perfectly into your overall décor scheme. Serve with fresh vegetables.
- Make Pool-Water Potion. Swimmers don’t usually like swallowing a mouthful of pool water. Pool-Water Potion, on the other hand, is a different story. Just combine equal parts light-blue colored sports drink and lemon-lime soda into a large, clear drink-dispenser. Label the drink, and serve in summer-themed paper cups.
Games
A party without activities is like a pool without water; it may be an impressive sight, but visitors are going to be too bored to notice. And although there are a number of fun pool activities that can be enjoyed with little or no preparation, if you want to give you guests something more memorable to do than play Marco Polo, you’ll need to think outside the box. Here are a few fun pool-party activities that we think you’ll love:
- Rubber ducky lottery. Need a fun way to get everyone into the water? Give this idea a try. Purchase a large number of rubber ducky bath toys. Using a permanent marker draw a large ‘X’ on the bottom of one the ducks. After the ‘X’ has fully dried, but before guests have begun to arrive, release all of the ducks into the pool. Once the guests are all accounted for, announce to your guests that one of the rubber ducks has an ‘X’ on the bottom, and that the person to locate the correct duck will win a prize (this can be a gift card, a fun or valuable item, or even cash). Watch as your guests pour into the pool, and see how long it takes for a winner to be decided. Remember, the more ducks you have, the harder it will be for your guests to find the right one, so don’t be afraid to go all out.
- Underwater photo booth. Photobooths are a fun way to create party memories, so it only makes sense that a pool-party photo booth would be a popular attraction. But rather than having the pictures taken on land, get into the spirit of the party by creating an underwater photo booth! Just use an underwater camera, and give guests the option to pose underwater for a set of quick photos. For added fun, provide your guests with various pool-safe props and costume pieces. Use a photo editing program to then add a pool-themed border to the pictures, and print out the finished product for your guests to take with them once the party is over.
- Sunken cinema. If your guests are more interested in lounging and wading than they are in swimming, consider turning the pool area into an outdoor movie theater. Using a media projector, a bluetooth sound system, and a large freestanding screen, you can create a fully cinematic experience for your guests to enjoy, even while they are partially submerged. This particular activity works best at night or in the evening, and is especially well-suited to hot-tub parties.
Miscellaneous tips and ideas
Need a little bit more inspiration before you send out the invitations? Here are several other tips and ideas that you can try out while planning your perfect pool party:
- Use a permanent marker on swim caps or un-inflated beach balls to create fun party invites that can also be put to good use.
- Instead of table cloths, use beach towels to cover and protect your serving tables.
- Purchase a flower-shaped pool noodles, and then slice it into sections approximately 1” thick. Place them in the pool as fun and decorative floaters.
- Give your guests a simple dollar-store pool party-favor bag. In a large plastic zipper-storage bag, include a small squirtgun, some sun lotion, a cheap pair of goggles, and any other fun pool-items that you’d like to include. Remind guests that the storage bag can be used to protect personal effects (such as wallets, watches, and electronic devices) from getting wet.
- On a serving table, provide a selection of sunscreens of various strengths and brands. Incourage guests to visit the ‘sunscreen bar’ to find the SPF that’s right for them.
- Use a life preserver as a simple centerpiece, and use pairs of inexpensive sunglasses as napkin holder.
- Keep extra towels, goggles, and other pool necessities on hand, just in case. A good host provides for the needs of his or her guests, so be ready to step in and help, in the event that someone accidentally leaves something at home.
As we mentioned above, the pool should be the focal point of your party, so make sure that the design, décor, and activities all fit well with that theme. And don’t fret; pools are naturally fun! Anything else that you can do to promote enjoyment at your party will just be a bit of extra icing on the flip-flop sandal cookie.
Did we miss anything? Share your own pool-party decoration ideas in our comments section!